Picket alarm



C. H. MCDONALD.

PICKETALARM. APPLICATION FILED 0m25.191s.

u a y j Patented @et Si, 31.@22.,

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PICKET ALARM.

Application led October 25, 1918.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. McDon- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springeld, in the county of Clark and State ot Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Picket Ala-rms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends generally im proveniente in picketing alarms and more particularly relates to an alarm attachment for bayonets.

It is the principal aim and object of the present invention to provide awdevice of the above mentioned character designed to be attached to a bayonet, two oi the devices being preferably employed, while the supporting bayonets are anchored in an upright position in the ground and between the device or attachment proper is arranged a string, which, when engaged by one of the enemy when out on an investigating trip, will release the attachment so as to sound an alarm and thereby indicate to the pickets the presence of one or more of the enemy in the immediate vicinity.

More particularly Athis invention contemplates the provision of a device of the above mentioned character designed to be connected to the handle of a bayonet and embodying a casing in which is detachably connected a barrel while positioned in the casing and acting .in conjunction with the cartridge in the barrel is improved tiring means releasable at a certain time for iii-ing the cartridge and consequently sounding an alarm.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide improved means for releasably retaining the iiring means in inoperative position.

Among the other aims and objects oi. this invention maybe recited the provision of a device of the character described with a view to coinpactness, and in which the number et' parts are i'ew, the construction simple and the cost or' production low and the etliciency high.

@ther iin roveinents and novel details in the construction and arrangement orf the various parts ot' the apparatus will be brought out more in detail in the description. to tollow, which tor a clear understanding of the invention should be considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, and wherein is disclosed for the purpose et illnstration a convenient and Serial No. 259,671.

satisfactory embodiment of the invention. it. is to be noted in this connection that minor changes m the construction and arrangement oi` parts may be made without de-` parting from the principle of operation of the various parts.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- I Figure l is a side elevation showing two of the devices operatively connected to'each other.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional detail oi one ot the attachments, and

Figure is a vertical sectional. view taken on line 3--3 oit Figure 2.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all ot the above described views, to indicate the corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a pair of bayonets generally designated. by the numeral l ot' a conventional construction and these bayonets are adapted to be anchored perpendicularly to the ground, while detachably connected to the handle portions of each of these bayonets is one of the improved signal. alarms indicated in its entirety by the numeral 2, being operably connected to each other through the instrumentality ot cord or cable 3 in a manner hereinafter to become apparent.

in the present instance, each signal alarm consists of a cylindrical casing 4 Yformed with an attaching plate 5 having openings G therein through which pass suitable tasteners 7 ior the removable connecting of the devices to the handle of one ot the bayonets. The upper end of each casing 4 is threaded exteriorly as at 8. A barrel 9 oie the tubular configuration is now employed and is reduced and threaded interiorly as at 10 leaving an annular shoulder l1 against which. is arranged the langed cap i2 of the cartridge .1.3 when the latter is positioned. in the barrel. Subsequent to the engagement oj the cartridge the barrel is engaged through the instrunientality of the threads .1.0 on the threaded portion 8 of the casing as indicated in the drawings.

ln order to fire the cartridge a plunger pin or rod 14- is disposed in the casing and is formed near its inner end with a plunger or disc head l5 while also disposed in the casing about the rod is a coiled expansion spring 16 the respective ends of which bear against the head 15 and the lower clcsed end ol the casing l so as to normally exert a pressure on the head. Anotlier head on knob 1T is connected to the outer projecting end o the rod and facilitates the retracting of the head or plunger l5 against the pressure of the spring 16.

With a view towards providing the improved means for normally holding` the liring pin in a retracted position, an ear 18 projects from the plate 5 while pivotally connected at its `inner end to this ear by means of the pintle 19 is a trip arm 20 designed to operate iu the horizontal or transverse slot 21 in the casing; so as to be disposed in front of the head subsequent to the reti'acting` thereof. The outer end ot the arm is formed with an eye 22 in which is engaged one end ol" the cable 3 and this cable which is engaged at its respective ends and the outer ends of the arms to the device is also adapted to be disposed about a foot or so above the ground so that when one ol a party olf the enemyl when out on a the presence of the enemy in the immediate vicinity. ln this connection it is to be observed that the guide 23 is formed within and near the outer or upper end of the casias/idee ing` for properly directiiig the firing pin or rod 14 1n moving towards the cartridge.

vlt 1s believed that in view of the oregoing description, a further detailed description ot theoperation of theinvention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages ot the invention will be readily apparent. Y

Having` thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and-desire'dto be secured by Letters Patent is:

'A device for the purpose indicated embodying, a cylindrical casing, a spring actuated pluiuger carried within the casing and provided with a cap engaging element, means `for holding a1 cap inposition at the top oit' the casing' to be engaged by the cap engaging element of the plunger upon the expansion of the spring of the latter, the casing` being formed at an intermediate point with a transverse slot and with an ear whose upperbgtace lies in the plane of the bottom 'face' of the slot, the ear being,l spaced from the extremity of the slot, and a trip arm pivotally connected. with said ear and adapted to enter the slot to obstruct the path of movement of the plunger to retain the same in retracted position, the lree extremity ot the trip arm being provided with an ear lor the attachment of means by which said arm may be swung out of obstructing position with relationtothe plunger.A

ln testin'iony whereof l atliX my signature.

oHARLEs H. MCnoNALD. 

